Tray



Feb. 2 1926.

P. A. GOLLNICK TRAY Filed Nov. 2l, 1924 Patented Feb. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES A 1,511,330 PATENT OFFICE.

IPYAUL A. GOLLNICK OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SPIEGEL, MAY, STERN C0., OF`

y CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION .0F ILLINOIS.

Application led November 21, 1924. Serial No. 751,317. i

To'all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL A; GoLLNioii, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Trays, of which the following is a speciiication.`

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved form`of tray for holdingcards; stencils and the like which are filed vertically; to provide an improved construction and arrangement ofia follower adapted to be shifted into engagement with one. end of the stack of cards for holding them in compact form; to provide a ,follower of this vkind having improved means for frictionally engaging certain portions of the tray and which means may bc readily released to permit the follower to be manually moved along the tray; and Pto provide .a tray of this kind having an improved form of base `portion constructed to give greater stability to the tray so as to secure it against lateral tilting when loaded.v

An illustrative embodiment'of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein F ig. 1 is a plan ofa tray embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevationof the same.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section showing the tray disposed verticallyfor transferring the stack of stencils from the tray to the hopper l of an addressing machine.

Fig. 4 is a `front elevation of the tray showing the cards in dotted outline.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective of the improved follower.

A tray embodying this invention is adapted for various uses, but in the specific construction herein shown it is particularly suitablel for use in connection with addressing machine stencils, and for this reason the parts of the device are arranged to readily permit the stack of stencils and cards tovbe bodily transferred from the tray to the hop-- the details of which have been omitted as' they are well understood in the art and they do not constitute a part of this invention.

`8 on the outer face of which is mounted a handle 9 and a suitable frame 10` for receiving a name plate (not shown).y The rear ends of the Side .walls 6 are bent inwardly to i'orin triangular end plates 6.1.

The side walls 6 are bent inwardly and y doubled upon themselves to forni transversely disposed shelves or ledges 11 substantially parallel with the bottom Wall 7 for supporting cards or stencils 172. The ledges 11 divide the tray into an upper stencil compartment 13 and alower compartment'14 having a lplngitudinally extending passage 15 between t em.

The bottom plate 7 extends outwardlybel i -yond theinner opposed edges of the ledges 11 vso as to form a wide supporting base giv-l ing stability tothe tray and securing it against lateral tilting when it is loaded 'with stencils or cards.

The follower 5 is slidably mounted in the lower compartment 14 and projects through the passage 15 for engagement with one end of the stack of cards. In the construction herein shown, the improved follower 5 is in the form of a substantially U-,shapcd clip comprising a pair of side members 16 connected together by a resilient strap 17, preferably metal, which is buckled inwardly at its medial part as shown at 18, so as to slightly tilt the members 16 outwardly. The members 16 may be sheet metal stampings, and are of right and left hand construction. lVith this improved formA of follower there is' an unobstructed space between the base part 17 and the plane of the shelves 11 which extends centrally along the entire length of the tray and which permits the post 3 of the hopper to be readily inserted through the tray in engagement with the lower edges of the cards. Each of the members 16 coniprises a shoe 19 andan arm 20 disposed at substantiall right angles thereto. The shoes 19 shdably engage the bottom 7 of 4the tray and are provided with upturned flanges 21 which are adapted to 'coact with the bottom faces of the ledges 11 for limiting the backward tilting of the follower. The arms 20 are disposed inwardly of the flanges 21, so as to provide ledges 22'which are also adapted to slidably engage the lower faces of the ledges 11. Formed on the ledges 22, are forwardly projecting prongs 23 which form extensions of the ledges 22 and which are adapted to frictionally grip the lower faces of the ledges 11 only when the follower is tilted backward slightly .under the pressure of the cards. The arms 20 are normally urged outwardly into fricti-o'lnal contact with the inner edges of the ledges 11 by the resilient action of the strap 17. The forward parts of the arms 20 are `formed to provide triangular bearing members 24 extending outwardly at substantially right angles thereto for engagement with the end of the stack of cards.

In operation, to adjust the position of the follower in the tray, the arms 20 are grasped between the thumb and forefinger of the operator and the follower is contracted so as to release it from frictional contactv with the ledges 11. It may then be moved along the tray to any desired position.

To transfer the entire stack of. cards or stencils bodily from the tray to the hopper, the loaded tray is placed in an upright position directly above the hopper so as to permit the fixed post 3 of the hopper to enter the passage'between the base 17 of the follower and the inner edges of the cards, as clearl shown in Fig. 3. While the tray is held 1n an upright position above the hopper, the weight of the entire stack of cards rests upon the follower 5 which is located below the stack. In this position ofthe tray, the cards are prevented from accidentally sliding out of the tray by means of a guide post which is hinged to the upper end of the hopper between the two iXed posts 1 and 2. The hinged guide post is adapted to be swung upwar ly, so as to form a continuation of one side of the hopper, and is adapted to engage the outer face of the stack of cards. the hinged guide post is well understood in the art and it has been omitted from the drawing because it is not considered material to the present invention. Vhen the post 3 has been inserted into the passage 1 5, the entire tray and stack of cards are lowered until all of the cards are located between the three stationary posts 1, 2 and 3. The tray The construction and operation of.,y

is reversed. The empty tray is placed around the stack-so that the slngle post 3 lies flush against the bottom 17 of the follower. The tray and the cards supported by the follower are then raised verticali and the hinged guide post, (not shown) 1s used to retain the cards in the tray until all of the cards have been lifted clear of the hopper. The loaded tray may then be swung to a horizontal position. i

Although but one specificembodiment of th1s invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that4 some of the details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without 'departingv from the spiritof this invention asdened by the following claims. v

I claim:

1). In a device of the. class described, the combination with a tra having a card-supporting ledge, of a'fo lower com rising a Substantially U-shaped member aving a pair of spaced arms and a resilient base part, said arms bein@ yieldingly urged by said base part into rictionalcontact with opposed edges of said tray, said base part being spaced entirelybelow said ledge and away from the bottom of the cards to pro- Vide an unobstructed passage between said edlge and base part for the purpose speci- 2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a tray having a card-supporting ledge, of a follower comprising a resilient base part and a card-engaging part movable longitudinally of said tray, said tray and follower having an unobstructed passage between said supporting ledge and base part for the purpose' specified, said resilient base part normally urging, said cardengaging part into frictional engagement with said card-supporting ledge.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a tray having a guideway extending longitudinally thereof, a cardsupporting ledge above said guideway, of a follower` comprising a substantially U- shaped clip having a resilient base p art and a pair of substantially parallel arms, said base part being located below said uideway, said arms beingI normally urge outwardly by said base art so as to frictionally engage the opposed) edges of said guideway, said tray having an unobstructed passa e between said base part and supporting le ge adapted to receive a post.

4.In a device of the class described, the combination with a tray havin a card-supporting ledge spaced above the ottom thereof, of a follower comprising a substantially U-shaped clip having a base part slidable along the bottom of said tray and having releasable parts projecting above said supporting led e in frictional engagement therewith, and anges on the arms of said clip disposed at substantially ri ht angles to the sides ofthe tray to form aring surfaces for engagement with one end of a stack of cards supported in said tray.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a tray having a pair-.of card-supporting ledges spaced above the bottom thereof, of a follower comprising a substantially yU-shaped clip, the base part of said clip being s idable along the bottom of said tra and being buckled inwardly `so as to yieldingly urge the arms of said clip outwardly into frictional contact with opposed edgesA of said card-supporting ledges Said clip being contractible for releasing said arms from said edges to permit it to bemanually moved along said tray.v

6. I-na device. of the class described, the combination with a tray having a guidewa extending. lon itudinally thereof, :a -car supportingle ge above said guldeway, a follower in sai guidewa and comprising a substantially U-shape clip having a metallic base part buckled inwardly so as to resiliently urge the arms thereof outwardlyinto frictional contact with said card supporting ledge, said clip being contract-' ible to permit it to be manually moved along said guideway.

7 In a device of the class described, the combination with ai tray having a `pair of card supporting ledges spaced above lthebots` tom thereof, of a. metallic base bottom of sai ledges, said base part having` the ends thereof doubled inwardly upon .itself and extending -at substantially rightangles therefollower y comprising a part slidably mounted on the to so as to form a pair of s aced arms projecting upwardl beyond said card sup orting ledges, sai base part being buc led ,led es pro]ecting inward y from said walls an ,arranged to divide the tray into upper tray, and shoes on said follower slidably entray below said supporting v 4follower arran ed in said tray in frictional contact with said ledgesl- 9, In a device ofy vhe class described, a tray `having substantially arallel side walls, v

and lower compartments, a follower located between said ledges and movable along the gaging the bottom ofsaid tray,y said tray having an unobstructed passage between theY lipase offsaidhfollgwer and thfea (plane of said orte urposes ie lsln a device of thgeolass described, a tray Having vsubstantially parallel side walls, led s proyectin'g inwardly from said walls an varranged to divide the tray into upper and lower compartments, a follower arran ed in said tray in frictional contact with saii ledges and being releasable therefrom '70 to permit it to be manually moved alon the tray, and shoes on said follower arrange in sliding engagment with the bottom of said tray, sai s oes andledges coacting to secure said follower against .withdrawal 'la `through said upper compartment, said tray having an unobstructed passage between the base-of saidI follower and the plane of said ledges vfor the 4purpose-specified.

Signed at Chicago this4 17th day of Nov.s0

PAUL A. GoLnNIcK. 

